Erykia
The fear of death is more to be dreaded than death itself. Appearance Her blue eyes burn a cold fire that unmistakably marks her as undead. Blonde hair hangs loosely around her shoulders, often looking a complete mess. Her face looks like it once could have been quite attractive, but now is marred with small scars. Her voice sounds as if it once was quite melodious, but now has a raspy undertone. A thin trail of breath can be seen trailing from her colorless lips as she speaks; breathing being a habit she hasn’t been able to break yet. Against her deathly pale skin, several scars are visible though a large jagged scar running from the right side of her neck cutting down to the upper left side of her chest is the hardest to miss. Though she is a bit shorter than most humans, she holds herself with an air of dignity that seems to add to her stature. Her body is lithe, but muscled and toned like a soldier. Personality Erykia is intelligent, calculating, and cold. She will not help anyone if she sees nothing in it for herself. She refuses to speak to anyone she doesn’t deem as worthy, and hardly speaks to those she does find worthwhile. She can hold a grudge for a very long time and will follow up on a threat she makes or any that have been made against her. She has little sense of humor and will not suffer fools. Background The Light of Dawn Erykia was born twelve years after the Dark Portal opened in a small village of Ironbury in the northern kingdom of Lordaeron along with her twin brother Cered. Her father, an accomplished blacksmith, founded the small community after he and his wife had left Stormwind during the first war. Though a rather small community, it thrived under Jakob Rhegediel’s leadership. Erykia grew up to be a sweet, kind girl who loved her brother dearly and would follow him wherever he went. Erykia and Cered’s parents were very devout followers of the Light and raised their children to be the same. Each day they were required to pray and learn lessons to further their understanding and faith. Cered also began learning the blacksmith trade from his father while Erykia was taught how to read and write. They were both taught fundamentals of combat, enough to keep up a good defense though Cered always strove to learn more. He became far more interested in fighting than blacksmithing as well as consistently asking Erykia to read him scriptures of the Light. Descent into Darkness The small village managed to escape the majority of the Third War by a large amount of luck. However, it did not go unscathed. A few of the villagers were infected by the plague and cut down as they became ghouls, Erykia and Cered’s mother was one of them. Once the war died down and travelers resumed visiting the village, Cered was stirred by the rumors of a faction of Light worshippers dedicated to eradicating the Scourge. He convinced his sister to go with him and join the newly formed Scarlet Crusade. Once they arrived in Tyr’s Hand, they began lessons almost immediately. They were taught about the Light in detail they had never heard before and summarily brainwashed. After vowing their lives to the Crusade, they switched to combat lessons. Cered enjoyed those lessons much more and with his already substantial combat prowess, was drafted as a soldier. Erykia did not excel in combat, but her knowledge of the Light led her to become a priestess. While Cered rose quickly in rank, Erykia grew deeper and deeper into the zealotry of the Crusade. The Darkest Point Nearly 4 years after they had joined, Cered’s battalion captured a paladin while on patrol in the Plaguelands. They brought him back to Tyr’s Hand and imprisoned him, calling upon an information specialist. No longer recognizable as the sweet girl she once was, Erykia came to the prison cell instruments of torture in hand. She smiled coldly at the man and began asking questions, simple at first than becoming more pointed. She did what she had become quite good at and now regarded as an art form, priding herself on how slowly or quickly she could withdraw answers. Deciding her last prisoner had too quickly given up; she planned to make this one last longer. She was pleasantly surprised to find this man had a strong will and pain threshold, but still managed to make him scream. For nearly a month she kept up the torture, bringing him close to his breaking point but reviving him and making him strong before continuing the torture. When she was caring for him, he would talk to her about a different view of the Light than the Scarlets had taught her as well as honor and hope. She found herself fascinated by his view and would more quickly bring him to his breaking point to get more chances to talk freely with him. Her zealotry was slowly being overtaken by rational and free thought, but she was still tied to the Crusade. Finally she brought him to his breaking point one last time before seriously listening to his pleas for death. Kneeling down beside him, she asked him softly if he really wished to be set free in death. He managed to raise his head, looked her in the eyes and gently smiled. With cracked lips and a ragged voice he softly whispered, “With my death, you shall be redeemed.” Tears streaming down her face, she nodded once and set his spirit free. A Glimmer of Hope Erykia withdrew herself from all contact and stayed in her quarters for a week. She read through several of the propaganda books the Scarlets had issued each member, finding them lacking and full of lies. One night after rereading one of the books for the fifth time, she decided to leave the Crusade. Hoping her brother might still be saved as well, she called for him. He arrived to her room just as she was finishing packing, the look on his face revealing his concern. She tried to explain how the Crusade was wrong and that they must leave, but his ever darkening eyes gave her pause. She withdrew from him as he reached to his side for his axe, but as he gripped the handle an alarm arose from the guards outside. Momentarily forgetting their conversation, they rushed to the stone window to witness a Scourge attack below. They ran from the room to join the battle, Cered keeping close to his sister’s side. Betrayal and Death They fought the ghouls with fury, leaving a mound of undead corpses at their sides. After awhile, a break in the attack gave them time to rest and regroup. Erykia began walking to the rallying point, but was stopped by a hand gripping her arm. She spun around to face Cered, his demeanor grim. “Brother? We must rejoin the rest…” Erykia said softly while attempting to wrench her arm free. Cered smiled at her coldly and roughly pushed her down. He put a heavy foot against her middle and brandished his axe toward her. “So Erykia, how long have you been sympathetic to the Scourge? Was it you who enabled this attack? Is that why you were in such a hurry to leave?!” He yelled, his face growing darker as madness danced in his eyes. Erykia felt a panic rise in her throat as she tried to twist her body away from him. “No! I am not their agent! Cered, are you too lost to their lies to not believe your own sister?!” She cried, her face going white as he raised his axe above his head. He paused for a moment to look down at her, and then chuckled coldly. “No mercy for the Scourge.” He brought down the weapon on her chest, wincing internally at her scream of death. Being too preoccupied, Cered did not notice the army of ghouls returning behind him. He withdrew his bloodied axe from Erykia’s body, only to be knocked aside by a powerful gauntleted hand. A cold thin laugh echoed in his ears as he fought to regain his footing. He turned to see a figure in black plate armor wielding a large blue glowing sword standing before his sister’s body. The man turned to Cered and laughed once more. “You two proved to be most interesting. The Lich King has plans for you…” The man motioned to the ghouls surrounding them. “Bring them both, do not kill the man.” He ordered as he brought the flat of his sword down on Cered’s head. Quickly losing consciousness, the last thing he saw was Erykia’s body being drug away by ghouls. Rebirth “This one…” Pain ripped through her body and mind, her thoughts and feelings were scattered and overwhelming. From faraway she heard herself speak, though she did not recognize the voice. “I return from the grave to do my master’s bidding.” A man spoke, his voice sounded pleased. “The Lich King will be pleased with this initiate. Place upon it the trappings befitting a herald of Arthas.” Another voice responded, “Right away, instructor.” She felt clothing being pulled onto her body by unknown hands, her mind still lost within itself as she listened to the first voice again. “Listen, death knight… Listen for the voice of your master. He calls to you now.” Pain seared through her mind, then stopped. Her scattered memories and thoughts fell away. A deep voice echoed through her mind, instantly calming her. Your will is not your own. The hands had fallen from her and she could feel the cold metal armor against her flesh. She tilted her head toward the man’s voice as he spoke again. “Stand and be measured! Rise, for your master awaits your arrival. Go now!” She slowly got to her feet, standing tall before Instructor Razuvious. Her cold blue eyes opened to see the strange new place she had been brought. A cold grin spread across her face as she locked gazes with the Instructor. “I live only to serve the Lich King!” In Service of The Lich King All that I am: anger, cruelty, vengeance – I bestow upon you, my chosen knight. I have granted you immortality so that you may herald in a new, dark age for the Scourge. Gaze now upon the lands below us. The Scarlet Crusade scurries to undo my work, while Light’s Hope stands defiantly against us – a blemish upon these Plaguelands. They must all be shown the price of their defiance. You will become my force of retribution. Where you tread, doom will follow. Go now and claim your destiny, death knight. The Test Erykia vowed her will and service to the Lich King and forged a runeblade, though before she was sent down to the camp below, the Instructor called her aside. He sent her to Death Knight Dietrich, the man who had taken her from the field of battle. His smile was almost gleeful when he saw her, something she found quite odd. “Greetings Initiate Erykia. I believe you are eager to start serving the Lich King, though you must pass a test before you do. Come with me.” Erykia followed him into the depths of Acherus to a small prison cell. Dietrich brought forth a rusted iron key and unlocked the door, motioning her inside. She stepped into the gloom, followed closely by Dietrich and narrowed her eyes at the sight before her. Trembling in a corner was her proud, strong brother Cered, though he was merely a shadow of who he once was. He looked frail and gaunt, resembling a scared animal as his crazed eyes roved the room. His eyes moved up to hers, recognition and fear washing over his face. A wicked grin spread across her face as Dietrich began to laugh, his mannerisms earlier explained. Dietrich leaned down and whispered quietly in her ear, “Kill him, or be killed.” Revenge Erykia nodded once and stepped forward to her twin brother, smiling disarmingly. Cered moved from the corner and trembling rose to his feet to meet her in the middle of the cell. He reached a shaking hand towards her and gently touched her arm. “B-by the Light! You… you are alive! B-but hhhow?” He stuttered, removing his hand from her arm. Erykia laughed a cold and humorless laugh that made Cered back away from her. “I assure you brother; the Light had nothing to do with it. Yet you sound so surprised, perhaps next time you should swing harder.” Cered fell to his knees, tears forming and spilling down his face. “P-p-please forgive mmmee! I… I was o-ov-overtaken with… mmadness! But y-you live! ‘Tis a mmmira-cle!” Erykia walked closer to him, drawing the sword from its sheath from her back. She lightly put the tip of it under Cered’s chin, lifting his face up. He clasped his hands and looked up at her in fear, expecting his blood to be spilt at any moment. “Madness, indeed, that’s all the Light brings. But no, dear brother, I do not live. At least not in the sense you mean.” She grinned at his sharp gasp as the realization swept over him. “Yes, I have become your most hated enemy. You made me that the moment you killed me. Why should I forgive you?” Cered stared open mouth at her for a few silent moments before blubbering, “I-I-I aam your b-br-brother!” Erykia withdrew the sword from his chin and laughed, truly laughed for nearly a minute. “THAT’S your answer?! How pathetic.” She stopped smiling and placed the sword tip down against the ground, leaning on it with one arm while grabbing his shoulder with the other. “But Cered, I will prove to be better than you. I do forgive you.” As he began whimpering a word of gratitude, she stopped him by tightening her grip on his shoulder. “But I’m still going to kill you.” She lifted the sword off of the ground and leveled it with his chest. Cered’s eyes went wide. “Mmm-meer-mercyyy!” Erykia grinned coldly and said in a flat tone, “No mercy for the living.” She plunged her sword through his chest, watching the life leave his wide eyes before removing the sword from his body. She turned to face Dietrich and glared at him. “I hope you enjoyed that.” She pushed him aside and stalked off as his laughter echoed off the stone prison walls. Suffer Well Mercy is for the weak. Erykia turned against her former friends and allies, slaying them in the name of the Lich King. Her blows were merciless, her demeanor calm. She even laughed at their pleas for mercy. For Erykia, she had never felt more alive or free though she was far from either. No survivors. She left none alive in her wake of destruction. She did everything that was asked of her with no complaint or thought against the action. It seemed natural, like something she had done her whole existence, or should have been doing. Kill them all. When a building was found filled with Argent Dawn prisoners, she took great pride in being selected to slay them. She entered the building, grinning widely at all the fear-struck faces and cut down a cowering troll. The human began speaking to her, saying nonsense of knowing her and how they grew up in Elwynn. Erykia laughed in the woman’s face and before the woman had finished her speech she struck her down with a smile. Finish it. Erykia accompanied a battalion of Death Knights in an attack against Light’s Hope, where things went very wrong. The Death Knights were defeated and brought to their knees, only to be shown compassion and mercy by their captors. For Erykia, it was a new and confusing concept as she had never experienced compassion like this except for the paladin she tortured. Her memories and emotions returned to her as the Lich King withdrew from her mind, causing her to lose consciousness. When she came to, she found herself in a newly reformed Acherus. She discovered they had become Knights of the Ebon Blade and sworn their loyalties to both the Horde and Alliance. She was ordered to present herself before the King and swear loyalty to him. Ashes to Ashes She arrived at the gates of Stormwind in a daze, still unclear on what had happened and what was happening now. She thought back on the things she had done and found she couldn’t yet bear to remember them. As she walked through the gates, she was astonished to find the cold reception the guards gave her. Humiliated but still full of pride, Erykia continued on into the Trade District. The citizens cowered in fear before her as some called for her death. Erykia began feeling doubt about what she was doing and stopped walking just before she got to Old Town. ‘What am I doing here…?Why am I humiliating myself in front of these people? What do I owe them?’ She thought to herself as she looked around at the glaring faces. Coming to a decision, she flashed a wicked grin at the crowd and turned back the way she had come. She left Stormwind without a second thought, coming to realize she was now alone. Relationships No current relationships worth mentioning. Idiosyncrasies * Erykia is currently unalinged with either the Alliance or Horde. Public Knowledge and Rumors Erykia was formerly known as Priestess Rhegediel of the Scarlet Crusade, if you have connections with them or did have connections with them in the past few years. She is known to have died in battle. Otherwise, she is virtually unknown. Category:Alliance Category:Alliance Death Knight Category:Human